Telephone-exchange system.



W. W. CARPENTER.

TELEPHONE EXCHANQE SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED ocT. 2l. I9I5.

1,251,637. Patented Jan. 1,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. W. CARPENTER.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2l. 1915.

PatentedV Jan. 1, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Waffe/7 W kiffen/en UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

WARREN W. CARPENTER OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK,

Application led October 21, 1915.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, vWARREN W. CARPEN- TER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-EX- change Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to telephone eX'- change systems, and particularly to a register relay circuit for use in telephone eX- change systems of the semi-automatic type.

The object of the invention is the provision of a register relay circuit having a minimum number of relays therein, and capable of registering or storing up any number corresponding to any possible combination of keys depressed by the operator.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate, the invention as applied to a telephone system, with so much of the system illustrated as is necessary for an understanding of the invention.

The invention is adapted to be used in connection with a semi-automatic telephone system such as shown and described in Patent No. 1,168,319, granted to A. E. Lundell for improvements in automatic telephone eX- change systems.

It is desirable in semi-automatic telephone systems to have a keyboard at an operators position, which is adapted for temporary connection with a plurality of sending apparatus. To obtain the best results from such an arrangement, there is providedl a register relay circuit for each sending apparatus, which circuit is provided with means for registering or storing up the number of the substation set up by the operator on her keyboard, and after such registration, the keys are released for use in connection with a subsequent call on another sending apparatus, without waiting for the completion of the sending operation on the preceding call.

The keyboard is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2, and comprises four rows 0f keys of ten keys each, though more or less rows may be provided depending on the Size of the system in which they are to be used.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Serial No. 57,070.

The various keys, when depressed, are held in their depressed position (by means not shown) until the energization of the release magnets 200, when they return to their normal position.

The register relay circuit is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, and includes relays 10Q-118, inclusive, arranged in a plurality of series 1GO-102, 10S- 105, 106-109, 11G- 113, as shown, each relay having an energizing winding and a locking or holding winding, as well as two armatures. Each 0f the series above enumerated has associated therewith one of the cut-out relays 114, 115, 116 or 117, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. This register relay circuit governs the operation of the switch controlling or counting relay circuit to which it is shown connected. The depression of a plurality of keys to represent a line number results in the energization of a group of register relays, one or more, or none, of the relays of each series being selected to form the group. Further, one or more of the cut-out relays 114, 115, 116, 117 may be energized in combination with the group. When energized, therelays in the selected group are locked up by a circuit including their locking windings, so that the number represented by the depressed keys is registered or stored up, permitting the depressed keys to be released for use in connection with a subsequent call on another sending apparatus. The sending operation may now take place, the counting relay circuit being governed by the lock-up group of register relays to send the necessary series of impulses to connect with the desired line.

The operation of setting up and registering the number of a called subscriber and the subsequent control of the counting relay circuit will now be described in detail, as by following such operation it is thought the invention can be most readily understood.

A subscriber, wishing to talk with any other' subscriber of the system, communi- Cates, in the usual manner, the number of such wanted subscriber to the operator at the Central office. It will be assumed that the number of such wanted subscriber' is 7180. The operator on receiving such number depresses the No. 7 key in the 1000s row of keys, the No. 1 key in the 100s row, the No. 8 key in the 10s row and the No. 0 key in the units row. The depression of these keysl causes the closing of the following circuits: battery, sequence switch contact spring 118, conductor 119, sequence switch contact spring 120, conductor-121, energizing winding of register relay 100, conductor 122, the' No. 7 key in the 1000s row, to ground; battery, sequence switch contact spring 11S, conductor 119, sequence switch contact spring 120, conductor 123, energizing winding ot register relay 101, conductor 124, the No. 7 key in the 1000s r-ow, to ground, battery, sequence switch Contact spring 11S, conductor 119, sequence switch contact spring 125, conductor 126, energizing winding ot register relay 103, conductor 127, the No. 1 key in the 100s row, to ground; battery, sequence switch contact spring 11S, conductor 119, sequence switch Contact spring 128', energizing winding of register relay 109, conductor 130, the No. 8 key in the 10s row, to ground; battery, sequence switch contact spring 11S, conductor 119, sequence switch contact spring 12S, conductor 131, energizing winding of cut-out relay 116, conductor 132, the No. 8 key in the 10s row, to ground; battery, sequence switch contact spring 11S, conductor 119, sequence switch contact spring 133, conductor 134, energizing winding ot cut-out relay 117, conductor 135, the No. 0 key in the units row, to ground.r The Closure of the circuits for the relays 100, 101, 103, 109, 116, 117 causes the energization ot said relays and the consequent attraction of their armatures, the relays at their right armatures and 'liront contacts completing break points in locking circuits which, when completed, extend from battery, sequence switch contact spring 136, over the conductors 187, 138, 139. 140 and 141. through the locking windings of the energized relays to ground.

Each row of keys has associated therewith a 'key 201 which is depressed whenever a key in the row is depressed. rgfilhen the last key of a group of keys representing the 1000s, s, 10s and units digits of the wanted line is depressed, a circuit is closed from battery, motor magnet ot' sender sequence switch 142, conductor 143,` lower and upper contacts of sequence switch contact spring 144, the closed keys 201 in series to ground, moving the sequence switch from position 3 to position 4. As the sequence switch comes into position 33;, the locking circuit above traced is closed at the upper right contact ot sequencev switch Contact spring 136, maintaining the armatures of the energized relays in their attracted position. On the sequence switch coming into position 4 and until it leaves position 44, 55

circuits are closed at upper-right and left contacts of sequence switch contact spring 145 to energize the release magnets 200, allowing the depressed keys to return to normal. 142, a circuit is closed from battery, motor magnet of sequence switch 142conductor 143, conductor 146, upper right 'contact' of sequence switch contact spring 147, conductor-148, right armature and back 4con-U5 142 from passing'out of lposition`4. The 85 allotter relay 149 is initially energized-in series with all of the operated registerfrelays when the keys are depressed, and hence it remains energized as long as any of thel keys remain in their operated posit-ions. 90

lVith the `allotter in position v1, and' when the sequence switch 142 reaches position the following circuits are establishedflier'I the relay 149: from battery, relay 149,' allotter contact in position- 1, contact 11S 95 (positions to 4), andthence-in parallel through contacts 11S, 138', 131, 125 in positions 3-1- to 4, through the energized registering relays to ground at the contacts of the operated keys. stored, all of these branch circuits are interrupted, and the relay 149 is released. The operator observing thatA the call-is held up,releases the depressed key, thus destroying the circuit for allotter relay 149 which 105 allows its arms to retract, completingthe circuit to move sequence switch 42 /from position 4 to position 5, as above described. This holding up of a call 'untilall the keys are returned to normal, prevents a'possible 11a mistake in a subsequent call.

W hen the sequence switch 142- reaches position 5, the fundamental circuitis completed from grounded battery, relay v212 at the district selector, through suitable con# tacts not shown, but similar to those employed in thev system disclosed in Patent llo. 1,168,319, conductor 2133, winding of lstep-y ping relay 152, sequence switch contact 214,

conductor-215, to ground at the armature and back contact ofthe 0 relay. Relays 212 and 152 are energized in this circuit,re lay 212 functioning as described-inv the mentioned patent to cause thel district selector switch to start upon its lirst selecting movement.

The energzatlon of stepping relay 152 completes a circuit from battery, conductor In position 4 of sequence switch 70 1t a depressed key, for any reason, 80

If all of these keys .are re- 100 153, the No. 3 counting relay, armature and diagrammatically indicated at 216 causes` the intermittent shunting of stepping relay 152 upon the completion of each group step. This operation of stepping relay 152 causes the counting relays to be successively energized in the well-known manner. Vhen the 0 counting relay is energized, the lowerl branch of the fundamental circuit is opened, and when the brushes are centered, relay 212 denergizes to accomplish the proper Sequence of operations at the district selector. The energization of the-0 counting relay also completed a circuit from grounded battery, power magnet of sequence switch 142, sequence switch contact 217, conductor 218, to ground at the armature and front Contact of the 0 counting relay. Sequence switch 142 then moves from position 5 to position 7. After brush selection, the sender sequence switch 142 moves into position 7, where group selection takes place, the circuit for the proper counting relay being closed from battery, conductor 153, the No. 3 counting relay, conductor 154, left armature and front contact of register relay 100, upper left contact of sequence switch contact spring 160, conductors 161, 158, lower right contact of sequence switch contact spring 159, armature and front contact of Stepping relay 152 to ground, again resulting in the energization of the No. 3 counting relay. It will be observed, however, that the register relay 103 is energized in combination with the register relay 100. As soon as the No. 3 counting relay is energized, the No. 3 counting relay is also energized over a local circuit closed at the armature and contact of the No. 3 counting relay. The No. 3 counting relay when operated extends the conductor 154 through to the No. 2 counting relay which is, therefore, energized upon the next energization of the stepping relay 152. In response to the operation of the No. 2 counting relay the No. 2 counting relay is energized. The No. 2 counting relay, however, instead of extending the conductor 154 to the No. 1 counting relay extends such conductor to the No. 0 counting relay, owing to the fact that the register relay 103 has been operated. Therefore, upon the next or third energization of the stepping magnet 152, the following circuit is established for the N o. 0 counting relay: from battery, the No. 0 counting relay, conductor 165, front contact and left armature of relay 103, contact.163.,(position 7), conductor 162, front contact and armature of the No. 2 countingv relay, front contactand armature of the No. 3 counting relay, conductor 154, front contact and lefthand armature of the relay100, contact 160 (position 7), conductor 161, conductor 158, contact 159 (position 7), armature and contact of the stepping relay 152 to ground. F rom the above it is apparent vthat although the No. 3 counting relay isl energized, the No. 0 counting relay is operated after three operations of the relay 152 instead of after four as in the first case assumed, due Yto the fact that one pair of counting relays, 1 and 1 is skipped, due to the operation of the relay 103. When the 0 counting-relay is energized, it again opens the lower branch of the fundamental circuit and allows relay 212 to denergize, such relay 212 thereupon causing the necessary` operations of the district selector switch. At the same time a circuit is Vcompleted for moving sequence-switch 142 out of position i 7 and into position 9. With the sequence switch 142 in position 9, where final brush selection takes place, a circuit for the proper counting relay being closed from battery, conductor 153, the No. 1 counting relay, armature and back contact of No. 1 counting relay, conductor 166, left armature and back contact of cut-out relay 115, lowerleft Contact of sequence switch contact spring 163, conductors 162, 167, left armatures and back contacts of register relay 104 and reg'- ister relay 105, upper left contact of sequence switch contact spring 168, conductor 158, lower right contact of sequence switch contact spring 159, armature and front conplished in a. manner set forth in the previously mentioned patent. The sequence switch 142 now moves into position 11l for final tens selection, in which position a circuit is closed from battery, No. 9 counting relay, conductor 169, left armature and front contact of register relay 109, conductor 170,

upper left and lower right contacts of sequence switch contact spring 159, armature and front contact of stepping relay 152, to

ground. The counting relay circuit now runs down until the No. 2 relay 1s energized, when a circuit is closed through coni ductor 162, lower left contact of sequence switch contact spring 171, left armature and front-contact' ot cut-out relay 116,5 conductor 165 'ItoA the! `AnNo.` 0` counting relay, lthus cut-V ting-out theiNosx landfl counting relays leftfand fright contacty of sequencefswitch contactfspringlQ, armature and front contact of steppingirela-y `152 to ground, Vallowing one impulse vto ybef sentito cause units select'ion.Jr Units selection having taken place, the-1 register flre'lay circuit is released, but as any "further `operation of theregister rela-y circuit forms no Vpart ofthe inventionit' will notbedescribed.

15A^serieslof lcounting relays normally1 operating in sequencel to transmit a number offimlpulses in succession, the number of impulses vsent ordinarily depending upon theposition of thel counting Vrelay of the series irst'op'erated,in combination with a register' relay 'circuiti having fa plurality of relays therein arranged in series, vsaid register relay circuit under certain conditions Ycausing the normal operation'lof saidseries of'countingfrel'ays, whereby the number of impulses sentcorresponds tothe' position of the relay of'the.seriesirstvoperated, and 4under certain otherlconditions causing the number of impu-lsesfsentY to belesswthan the number correspondingfto the position of-therelay of they lseries rst operated.

In `a Ysemi-automatic telephone .system, thei combination with keys adapted ato be set# by: the operator incombinations to represent-any line number lof the-v system, of -a register rela-y circuit associated withsaid keys and havinga vpluralityof seriesiof re-l lays therein, said relaysbeing selectively op'- erable' in predetermined groups correspond-` ing 'to they combinations ofkeys set up by the operator, a series of countingy relays governedbyy the setting of said register relays, and means associated with said register relays for# veliminating one pair of counting relays whereby a less number of impulses will -be sent'n than ordinarily.

3. Ina. Isemi-automatic telephone system, an= operatorls sending device including a group of register relays,y avmanually operated device governingthe operation of such relays, -a countingA device, means controlled by.;said-register relays vfor initially deterinsges? mining Jthe extent of the fcountir'igV operation of saidicou'nting device, and an additional relay governed byVcertain-ofI said manually operable-- devices lfor* subsequently modifying-fthe counting operation of such .counting Y device.y

4;Infa controllingrdevice for semi-automatic f-telepho-nef systems',L -a plurality of rekeys for controlling the operation of said relays, la series of counting relays governedinf-its 'operation by saidr plurality of relays,`

meansffassociated with said plurality yof -ref lays'under certain condi-tions for altering;

theopera'tion of saidseries of counting relays as determined by` said keys.

5. 'Ilya semi-automatic telephone system, anoperators sending-device comprising a plurality of series of register' relays, a cut-1 out relay Vassociated'with each series of reglster relays, a-keyboard having afplurality of' series of keys correspondingy in number tothe series of register yrelays and adapted to be depressed `bythe operator in combinations tofrepresent any line number of the system,said combination of keys when depressed energizing a predetermined group of' register relays and under certain conditions-one'olI said cut-out relays, a switch-controlling means governed in its operation by said register relays, said-control by the register relays beingaltered when one of said cut-out relays are energized.

6. In asemi-automatic telephonev system, an operators sending device comprising a pluralityof series 'of register relays, a cutoutrelay associated with eachv series of register relays, a. keyboard having a plurality offseries ofl keys corresponding in number to thel series of register relays and adapted to be depressed by the operatorY in combination to represent any line number of the system, Y

saidv combination of keys when-depressed energizing a predetermined group of register relays and -under-certain conditions a plurality of saidcut-out relays, a switchcontrolling means governed in its operation by said register relays, said control by the register relays being altered when a plurality 'of said cut-out relays are energized.

7. Ina semi-automatic telephone system, an automa-tic switch, a sending device for controlling the operation ofsuch switch and including a counting device adapted to countk one step 1n a definite series of steps for each Y controlling the operation of such switch and same initial step in the series, and one of including a counting device adapted to count which is adapted to eliminate a subsequent one step in a definite series of steps for each step in the same series. 10 step of the switch under control and to stop In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe such switch when the last step in the series my name this 19th day of October, A. D.

is counted, a pair of keys either one of Which 1915.

is adapted, when operated, to determine the WARREN W. CARPENTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

